


Rigged

by zarahjoyce



Category: Gokaiger, Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-15
Updated: 2013-12-15
Packaged: 2018-01-04 16:41:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1083281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarahjoyce/pseuds/zarahjoyce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If there was one trait they all shared, it was that they refused to quit - no matter what the cost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rigged

If there was one trait Luka shared with Marvelous, it was that they both hated losing.

If there was one trait Luka didn’t share with Joe, it was that she was not as patient as he was.

If there was one trait they all shared, it was that they refused to quit - no matter what the cost.

-

A few days after they took her in, Marvelous decided to have Joe train her in the art of swordfighting.

(“You don’t just swing your sword like _that,_ " he’d said that day, rolling his eyes while taking a huge bite out of the chicken leg he’d been nibbling on. "We’re pirates, not mindless brutes."

she’d barely kept herself from saying _he’s_ the brute, not her, and Joe merely raised a brow at her silence.)

Now Luka’s glaring up at Joe with all the wrath she could muster, because _goddamnit_ he’d beat her again with that silent, cocky expression of his, with one hand behind his back while he fucking parried and returned her thrusts with his stronger, more graceful ones.

"One more," Marvelous said, sounding royally bored from his seat.

"She’s tired," Joe said, though not unkindly. (the fucking _jerk_ ).

He was right; her muscles have long since turned to cotton with exhaustion and her knees refused to support her upright. But damned if she was going to take Joe’s offered hand to help her up, and damned if she was going to make herself look like a weakling in front of Marvelous, who - whether she liked it or not - was the fucking _captain_.

Luka was determined to prove her worth to both of them, no matter what it took.

So she slapped Joe’s hand away and pushed herself off the fucking floor, and aimed the sword at his neck, willing her arm not to betray her.

"Three more," she said, voice trembling, and Joe responded with a smirk.

Marvelous yawned.

(fucking jerks, both of them.)

-

A few weeks into their training, and Luka realized Joe was just _that good_ in using his sword.

"You have to learn how to read your opponent’s thoughts and anticipate their next move," Joe said, and there was an unbridled impatience in his tone now.

(maybe it’s because she hadn’t eaten, because _Marvelous said_ she couldn’t eat until she’d beaten Joe at least once, but Joe was not the kind to allow himself to lose just so she could fucking eat and felt guilty for it.)

She rolled her eyes at him. “You’re talking _too_ much, Joe,” Luka said, then charged at him.

He’d easily blocked her attack and pushed her off of him, and she’d barely found her footing before he was at her face again. The next second she was landing on her ass, looking up at Joe and cursing him in all the languages she knew.

Marvelous grunted and made his way to the dining table. He uncovered a plate of boiled meat (the smell made her mouth water despite the distance because her eyes weren’t the only sharp sense she had, fucking damnit) and looked at her. “I’m beginning to wonder if you’re going to eat some time today, Luka, or if you’re just going to stand there and watch us when we dine.”

(fuck you.)

Joe’s jaw tightened, and he said, “You’re being too harsh, Marvelous. Luka needs her strength if she’s to fight me.”

She couldn’t tell if he was showing her kindness or cruelty or both.

(fuck _you.)_

"I have to be," Marvelous said, and for the first time there was an edge to his voice. "The Zangyack forces are getting stronger every day. She’s as good to me dead if she can’t fight for her life. If she can’t fight for _me._ " He shrugged. "Might as well leave her behind in our next stop."

Luka gritted her teeth. “Are you saying I’m _weak?_ ”

"Are you?"

"You’re wrong and I’ll prove it," Luka said, the claws of desperation beginning to run up her veins. No, _no,_ the prospect of attaining the greatest treasure, of her buying a planet for children— “Just— Marvelous—”

Marvelous yawned again, and positioned himself to ignore her and eat.

Luka’s temper snapped. All she wanted was to slit their throats as wide as she could (their fault for putting a sword in her hands) but then she settled with saying; “Well, if I’m not going to eat - who’s to say the two of you are?”

It’s a wonder she was even able to speak evenly when there was a gnawing pain in her stomach and it was agony just to keep her fingers around the sword’s handle. But it was worth it, when Marvelous’ head snapped up to look at her, and Joe began to regard her with growing suspicion.

"What do you mean?"

She placed a hand on her hip and grinned cockily. “I like to experiment every once in a while in the kitchen, when I’m alone,” she said, lying through her teeth because she never _had_ a kitchen to step foot in before, and she wasn’t about to start now. “I may have placed something in the food that shouldn’t be there in the first place.”

Marvelous glanced at the plate and crossed his arms. “You’re lying.”

She made herself look appropriately outraged. “I’m a _thief,_ not a liar. Learn the difference.”

Their captain gnashed his teeth. “I don’t believe you.” He grabbed a handful of the meat, brought it up to his face. He opened his mouth, thought better of it, and _smelled_ the food instead.

The next moment, he was throwing it at his feet.

"Clean that up!" he barked, turning his back on her and stalking towards the door - presumably to eat somewhere else.

Leaving only her and Joe standing in the room.

Silence.

"Did you really—?"

She shrugged. “Don’t believe me? Suit yourself. Don’t blame me if you get sick, though.”

Joe studied her quietly, and she fought the urge to squirm, before he finally looked away and smirked to himself. “You know, I can’t decide if you’re brave or stupid to even think about messing with Marvelous’ food.”

She aimed a feline smile at him. “Who said I only thought about it?”

Joe chuckled. “Let’s continue tomorrow,” he said. He hoisted his sword up his shoulders, started to walk towards his room, before stopping by the dining table and looking down at the “tainted” dish.

Luka fought to keep her expression neutral, and watched him as he picked a piece of meat and, with a quick look her way, popped it in his mouth.

"It’s just as I thought," he said quietly, before retreating finally.

That night, Luka ate better than she ever did in her entire life.


End file.
